Key-retainer strip



Dec. 17, 1929. R. H. THAYER KEY RETAINER STRIP Filed June 50, `3.927

lNvENToR Y l I na ATTR EYS e ally @en l?, 1929 STATES REUEL H. THAYEB, OE HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T THAYER TELKEE COREORATION, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA KEY-RETAINER sTRIr Application filed June 30,

This invention relates to improvements in keyboards for hotels, apartment houses, otlices, factories, and the like, and particularly to a. new type of hook strip for individu.- retaining keys or similar objects on hooks on a keyboard or the like.

in such installations as hotel keyeboards or time-check boards or in jewelry repair shops, etc., it is frequently necessary to hang' the keys or time-checks or Watches or similar articles on a suitably numbered hook to identity the key,watch, or the like and prevent confusion. When the article is to be re! moved it is adapted to be readily detached and these hooks may be suitably'identiticd by a tag, inscription or stamping similar to the inscription on the key-board to insure the key or the like being replaced on the same hook. Frequently a long series et these in- 2o dividual hooks are desirable, tor example,

ual time-checks.

when a great number of keys are to be retained or when the number of employees necessitates the use of a considerable number of these retaining devices for the individ- In such constructions it has been a task to individually locate each of these separate hooks in neat alignment and in such cases. such as in hotel registers for key-boards, it is diilicnlt not only to line up the 3o individual hooks for appearance but to also place the proper and suitable identifying insignia behind them.

it is an object of this invention to provide a hook strip for key-boards tor the class described in which a series of hooks will be provided on a continuous strip, and are, therefore, in true alignment.

it is another object ot' this invention to provide la key retainer in which a single strip et metal is suitably stamped to form projecting hooks and epoperating identifying card pockets tor labeling the hooks for each particular' key or the like. I

is a further object oi' this invention to provide a metallic strip provided with suitable hooks to receive keys, Watches or the like, which Will be formed integrally with the strip and dependent therefrom, the said strip being provided with depressed card receiving pockets and will be scored between certain 1927. Serial No. 202,491.

sections to enable individual hooks or any desired length of hooks to be broken oit.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an integral series of key receiving hooks which may be placed in position and supported as a unit by tacking the same to the key-board at each end or at intermediate points.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a unit key retainer for key-boards comprising a series of depending hooks which are properly spaced and which may be supported either as a unit or as individual hooks, and individual integral identifying card pockets to be supported adjacent thereto.

Further objects and advantages of this in vention will appear Jfrom the following' detailed description of the attached drawings illustrating` a preferred form of' embodiment to which the invention is adapted and in Which1 -Figm l is Va front elevation of a typical open key-board.

Fig. Qis a Jfront elevation of the improved key retaining strip showing the location of the various parts thereof and their relation to supported objects.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is al horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. i

The key board 10 shown in Fig. l is typical of an installation to be fastened to the Wall of a building and in which necessary keys will be retained. As shown it comprises the two door orback portions 10 and 10, each of which is adapted to receive the keys on suitable hooks therein. The former practice of individually locating' each. hook With the attendant necessity of'separately fastening each side of the hook to the key board has been overcome by using the strip of hooks 12 particularly embodying my invention. This strip 12 may be of indefinite length and is provided With the individual key receiving hooks and identifyingcard receiving,r sections 12a, 12b, 12C, 12d, and 12e. Suitable keys 14 which are those necessary for various rooms or doors in the building in which the keyboard is used are attached by an intermediate identifying tag 15 to the hook, or may be placed directly on the hook, the keys being stamped with suitable identifying numbers. As many of these strips 12 as is necessary to accommodate all the keys 14 will be used and each key hook will be individually numbered or otherwise designated as at 16, the number or insignia on the card in the depressed portion of the hook correspondingresponding to the depressed portion in the strip 12 is suitably designated by letter, character, or color to indicate some particular condition. and will slide behind the strip .and show thru the aperture 21, in the strip l2. If this strip were to be used in a jewelry repair store, a Watch 22 is adapted to be suspended from the hooks to be kept in View or inspection or to be available when called Each unit 12a of the strip is complete in itself and comprises the outwardly and upwardly bent hook 23 projecting from the main portion 24 of the strip 12 and the card receiving depressed portion 25 suitably displaced from the supp'orting'structure to enable the card 20 to readily slide behind the hook unit. The units 12d and v12e are separated by a score on the line 26 which does not completely separate the strip but permits separation by merely bending one unit from another.

In view of the fact that these strips are made from metal, it is obvious that but a small portion of the number of screws or nails usually required, is necessary to retain the key retainer strip in position and the strips are supported in true alignment. The strip is vreadily made by stamping and is adapted to be sold in any desired lengths and if individual units are desired, they Will be had by breaking them off from the long strip. It is contemplated that as many as possible of the units will be retained on a long strip in order that the uniform alignment of the strip may' be retained It is also possible to construct this strip in either a vertical or a horizontal combination of units as shown, depending upon individual requirement. It will also be obvious that the projecting hook itself may be of any form desirable and is adapted to receive articles such as keys, watches, time-checks, or any other article having a suitable bail to engage the hook or the hook may be omitted and the strip provided merely with the card receiving sections 12a, 12b, 12, etc. The identifying card pocket may be square, round, elliptical or of any particular desired shape.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that I have provided a combination hook and an index pocket integral therewith, provided with an identifying window opening of any shape desired which is readily produced by stamping process andwhieh will efliciently and satisfactorily retain keys or similar articles in position with the minimum of time and labor required to set up the key strip by enabling the positioning of a large number of the individual units at once; it is so constructed that individual units may be broken off of the strip if necessary or desirable in which the hooks are integral With the identifying card receiving portion. It is obvious that changes might be made, such as-if no identifying tag was necessary, the backing' portion could be considerably reduced in size although the principal formation of the integral hooks and the scoring between the units will be retained.

'lVhile I have described a preferred form of embodiment of this invention, it is obvious that modifications within the scope thereof, may be made and I, therefore, de-

sire protection on the broad spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as claimed in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a key retainer of the class described a unitary strip comprising a series of separable unitary hooks and cooperating identifying card receiving portions adjacent thereto and integral therewith.

2. In a key retainer of the class described a series of hooks adapted to receiye keys or the like and a series of pockets adapted to receive labels cooperating with and adjacent to said hooks, the entire series being stamped from a single strip of metal.

3. In a key retainer of the class described a metallic strip having a plurality of depressedportions therein adapted to receive identifying tags, integral hooks extending from each depressed portion and forming a key retainer unit, a scored crease between each unit to facilitate its removal from the group, each group or unit being adapted for unitary support.

4. In a wall safe of the character described..y

comprising a front wall and a rear wall, a

plurality of key retaining strips attached to said Walls, each' of said strips being provided with aseries of hooks adapted to receive keys or the like, anda series of pockets adapted to receive labels cooperating with and adjacent to said hooks, each entire strip being formed from a single strip of metal.

5. In a wall safe of the character described comprising a wall, a plurality of retaining strips attached to said Wall, eachy of said strips being provided with a plurality of depending hooks and a lurality of depressed portions adjacent said lliooks to receive identiying insignia for each hook, said depressed portions being apertured, the entire strip being formed from a single stri of metal.

6. As an article of manu acture, a strip, certain portions of said strip being depressed, aseries of key receiving hooks integral with said depressed portions and projecting therefrom, said depressed portions providing identifying card receiving pockets coextensive With said depressed portions.

7. As an article of manufacture of the class described, an integral metallic strip having a plurality of depressed portions therein forming pockets adapted to receive identifying tags, each depressed portion having an opening through the face thereof through which the tag is visible, and a scored crease between each depressed portion to facilitzte the separation of the strip into units, supporting means adjacent each pocket whereby each group or unit is adapted for unitary support. In testimony whereof Ihave aliixed my signature to this specification.

- REUEL H. THAYER. 

